One Degree of Difference

Last week, I was told that I officially joined the “mom of boys club” when my son decided to use a window shutter as a swing and took a six foot fall onto our wood floors. The shutter did not survive the fall and landed on top of him, resulting in stitches right below his eye. Due to the location of the injury, anesthesia was recommended for the procedure and we were directed from the urgent care center to the emergency room. We were grateful for the slight degree of space between his eye and the injury and that we were just looking at stitches, instead of his eye being injured.

While at the urgent care center, I noticed a sign on the door – “1 degree makes the difference.”

At 211 degrees water is hot.

At 212 degrees it boils.

And with boiling water comes steam.

And steam can power a locomotive.

The extra degree makes the difference.

We are committed to a culture that makes that 1 degree difference in service excellence.

A simple Google search later (post-stitches) showed me that there is an entire leadership effort focused on the 1 degree. An inspirational clip on You Tube states, “And, the one extra degree of effort in business and in life…separates the good from the great.”

What areas can you raise the bar 1 degree and make a huge difference in your community? Is it response time for public safety? Is it turning customer service into customer care? Is it engaging your citizens to find out their wants and needs? What small things can you do to provide a greater impact to your employees? Is it allowing for training and advancement opportunities? Is it sharing your vision for the organization with them and showing how they are having an impact? Is it just caring for them and their families?

What areas are your 1 degrees? What makes the difference to your residents? To your employees?

Make the commitment to keep your organization at 212 degrees. Even if it seems like a small thing, you are greatly influencing someone’s life.